Endometrial Biopsy - should I be worried?

I am a 45 year old mother of 4 (22,20,16,13). Have been experiencing "old brown smelly spotting" about 5 days after my period for quite a while now and decided to look into having an ablation (sp) done. Doctor noticed that my uterus was enlarged and scheduled me for an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed the uterus was the correct size but the lining was thickened. Also noticed that I had an ovarian cyst and endometriosis (knew this -- had it for about 20 years).

Got a call to come in tomorrow for an endometrial biopsy. Girls - I'm kindof nervous and hate that I "educate myself" a little too much on via internet.

I've also been feeling fullness in my abdomin for quite awhile and on occassion very very sharp pains that run right down through my rectum. I was decided that I must be ovulating and marked this as a symptom of ovulation.

I'm nervous about the biopsy. How long does it take to get results? Need help with people who might have experienced these symptoms.

Was hoping these symptoms were also just a head towards menopause! Could it be???

A little uncomfortable but for most not too traumatic. It's sort of a pap smear on steroids. They scrape a bit of lining from your uterus. Take some Advil about an hour before. You will probably cramp some afterward. It ranges from a bit crampy to quite painful during but only lasts a few seconds.

I felt pretty yucky afterward but I was having a lot of pain without invasions like that. Most people are fine to return to work afterwards, especially if you have a desk job. You may have some spotting for a day or two but nothing horrible.

Thank you! Loved the "pap on steroids" exactly what it was! Ouch! Advil helped and no spotting!

Should get results back in about a week. Lining was 17mm thick. He had a hard time getting what he needed initially because doctor believes it is a build up of old blood and does not suspect cancer. Looks like I'm a good candidate for the NovaSure. Hope this ends the heavy period and the weeks of spotting!

I've had an ablation (hydrothermal). Some girls are really lucky and they don't have periods anymore. Others get 'normal' periods. I had normal, 3 - 5 day, could actually use a tampon or a regular pad - kind of periods after my ablation. I had adenomyosis and major fibroids, so my bleeding returned after a couple of years. Even though that happened to me, I would HIGHLY recommend the procedure to a girlfriend who is suffering from heavy bleeding. If I had it all to do again with the same result, I would still have an ablation. I had a couple of years where I was not anemic, didn't wonder why they don't make tampons bigger than Ultra or pads bigger than Heavy Flow Overnite. lololol I felt like I had a mattress wrapped around me! My flooding would even blow right off the front and back of those monster pads. I didn't need a change of pants and underclothes in the car at all times, and pads stuffed in my car and every bag I carried. It was really a relief and a worthwhile procedure. Just my opinion and my experience...

Years, that's funny. That's how my life has been except tampons just didn't work since mine would literally get shoved out from the giant clots. I usually had a change of clothes in the car but sometimes still had to go home to change. And I too could blow out of those monster pads.

MCHouse, glad it wasn't too bad and that they think you are clean. Maybe an ablation will carry you through to menopause and a lessening of your symptoms. I chose to have a hyster because even though I'm 46 I have no symptoms of menopause and it tends to be late 50's before it starts in my family. I was also not an ablation candidate due to deeply embedded fibroids.

Your symptoms sound similar to mine. Those symptoms led to NovaSure and removal of a large ovarian cyst via an abdominal incision on 10/10/2011. Everything looked great - at first. Then things changed. Lots of bleeding etc. Well, turns out I had adenomyosis. I ended up with a SAH on 12/12/2011, 9 weeks to the day after the first procedure. The pathology report confirmed adenomyosis.

I only speak up because your symptoms are so similar to mine.
It never hurts to ask your Dr.

Thanks Beth! I will take your advice. I guess knowledge is the key here. As I read I find more and more symptoms. I often have the feeling of fullness and feel my abdomen get distended and hard as a rock. This happens when I seem to be ovulating. Pressure on my bladder and rectum often. And often have a gush of clear discharge for a few days before my period. No results back yet. (it's been a week) Holiday time doesn't help. With ovarian cyst-endometriosis- uterine lining thickness- I wonder if I should mention a hysterectomy to my doctor. I don't want to do something because of fear but it seems like that turns out to be the path.

I, too, laughed at the description of the biopsy as a Pap on steroids - a pretty perfect description! lol -- I had a biopsy a couple of weeks ago, took about 5 business days for results, but this was before Christmas - my GYN recommended hysterectomy but she doesn't do surgeries anymore, so referred me to another GYN in same practice - met w/him last week, he said maybe Mirena IUD would work for awhile (hyper plasia, no atypia, thickening of lining, etc.). It is such a relief in a weird kind of way to read about others who have passed such huge clots for and carry extra clothes just in case, etc. Makes me feel not so alone, so thanks to all! Best of luck to all in your decisions and treatments and let's hang in there together!!

Della, try whatever might work. I would never recommend someone have major surgery without a reason. If the dr. thinks mirena might help then try it and see. It may solve your problem without surgery. If it doesn't then you can move on to something else. I looked at a hyster as the last resort.